15 years for “trusted family friend” who indecently assaulted minor

A 33 year old ‘trusted’ family friend was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty on two counts of attempted unlawful sexual intercourse with a child, and two counts of indecently assaulting her.

Sunal Ashton, the man who betrayed the trust of his victim and her family was slapped with four prison sentences when he appeared at the High Court #1 before Justice Brian Cottle on June 15.

However, after spending one month and 28 days on remand, Ashton an Architect by trade will now spend 14 years, 10 months and two days behind bars.

On his first count of attempted sexual intercourse, the prisoner was sentenced to 12 years. While, on the other similar charge he was sentenced to three years. Both sentences will be served consecutively.

On the indecent assault charges Ashton was sentenced to two years on each offence to run currently.

According to the summary, On January 22, 2020 two children were playing when the prisoner called the older child and lifted her onto a kitchen counter where he attempted to touch her inappropriately.

His inappropriate conduct continued after he lifted the child from the table and stood behind her as she was bent over.

As Ashton withdrew his private member from his pants his girlfriend, who is the mother of his child entered the kitchen and saw what was happening.

She slapped Ashton several times and asked him how could he behave that way towards a child. The matter was then reported to the police.

The prisoner admitted to indecently assaulting the child saying that there was no penetration, he had placed his member between the legs of the child.

He also admitted to the police that he had touched the child inappropriately on other occasions.

Justice Cottle said that Ashton who attended the St Vincent Boys Grammar School and St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College had no previous convictions.

He said that members of Ashton’s community were interviewed for a social inquiry report and those interviews solicited that the prisoner was a ‘quiet’ individual and persons were bewildered by his actions.

The mother of the victim said that the man was a trusted family friend who sometimes helped the child with her homework. She said since the incident the child’s academic performance has fallen and she no longer wishes to be seen in public.

When Cottle assessed the sentencing guidelines, he found that count one fell into the highest category of the consequences as the child was under the age of 10.

As for the seriousness, this was found to be in the highest category because there was an abuse of trust and a significant age disparity.

He began sentencing at 20 years; however, the mitigating factors outweighed those of the aggravating and two years were deducted.

Ashton’s guilty plea accounted for a 1/3 discount of his sentence bringing it to 12 years.

On the second charge of attempted sexual intercourse a three year consecutive sentence was handed down.

His sentences for indecent assault, which carries maximum penalties of five years, came down to two years each after a year was deducted for his guilty plea. These two sentences will run concurrently.